American Romanticism Essay

Writing can be an intriguing thing. Thoughts upon a paper but can change with the given time period. The movement of American Romanticism validated strong emotion as an authentic source of aesthetic experience, placing new emphasis on such emotions as fear, and horror on the reader. Thus starting the genre Dark Romanticism which was the opposite of the American Romanticism movement. American Romanticism writers wrote about being “one with nature” while the Dark Romantics thought the complete opposite. The Fall of the House of Usher, the Birthmark and the Ministers Black Veil all represent American Romanticism with the use of symbolism. The first symbol that describes the American Romantic time period is in the Story “The Fall of the House of Usher”. The house itself. The house symbolizes the family line or "House of Usher”, because family lines of the noble in England are referred to as "Houses." In the story , Roderick Usher is the last of the remaining of the Usher family. With no children, therefore nobody can carry on the family name. The structer of the house is old, decrepit and in disrepair. Roderick Usher is old, infirm and about to die. He knows that when he dies, his family line dies with him. In the beginning of the story the reader thinks the story is about the structer as the description of the condition is being placed. But as the story progresses, it becomes apparent that it is about Roderick and his weeping end to the family line. It will end upon his death which is all too obviously imminent. “In this there was much that reminded me of the specious totality” (Poe 265). This quote explains that he realizes that he is the last of the Usher family and this it has finally hit him. The second symbol that describes the American Romantic time period is in the story “The Ministers Black Veil” is the black veil. This is a symbol of secret sin and darkness of human nature. This could represent the secret sin that all men carry in their hearts, or it could be representative of Mr. Hooper's specific sin. Hooper as everyman’s behavior would show for his lonely life in order to demonstrate a tragic truth; and there is the unspoken element of human imbalance, with Hooper's action out of all proportion to need or benefit. In the beginning of the story the

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